Bottle-handling apparatus.



PATHHTHD A1 H.2a`, 1908.

u H. J. CHILTON.

BoTTLH HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. Z6, 1906.

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@i M CE@ fm ym? No. 885,912. PATHNTED APR. 28, 1908. H. J. CHILTON. BTTLE HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

HENRY J. vOHILTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BOTTLE-HANDLING APPARATUS.

` Specification of Letters Patent.- A'pplicatiron filed March26, 1906. Serial No.. 308,158.

Patented April 28, 1908.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. CHILTON; a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, -in the countyof Cook and State of Illi-l nois, have invented certain new andfuseful Improvements in Bottle-Handling 'Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.'

This invention relates to improvements inv bottle handling ap aratus, and among the apparatus in which the bottles are handled in Groups, each grou in a crate, and neverthelaess are Washed t oroughly both insideI and out Without disassociating them from their crates after they are once placed therein, throughout the entire cycles of operation to which they are subjected; to provide an ap'- paratus in which the bottles are at one stage The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention w1 be readily understood from the following description, reference being lhad to the accompanying drawings, in' whichn y Figure 1' shows a side elevation of the machine, partly broken away. Fig. 2 shows the reversing apparatus in an elevated position.

Fi' 3 is a view partly in end elevation and art y in transverse section, taken a proximately on line 3 3 of Fig. 1 and loo ling in the'direction of the arrows. Fig. 4 is a sectional detailshowing themanner of washing the interior of the bottleswhile supportedl Within thecrate Fig. 5 is a sectional detail showing the manner ofwashing the exterior lof the bottles. Fig. 6 is al detail. taken-4 lbelts 22.

through line 6-6 of Fig. 5 and looking inthe direction of the arrows. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail taken through line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings', that end of the machine shown in Fig. 1 is thevend to which the filled crates are fed, and the bottles progress longitudinally through the machine' and are delivered at its opposite end, as seen in Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, l designates the main drive-wl eel, `shown as a beltwheel, mounted o1- a suitable stub shaft 2 journaled between a bracket 3 andthe sideframe 4 of the machine; saidshaft carrying also rigid with the belt-wheel a pinion 5. The pinion 5 meshes with a gear 6 mounted on a stub-shaft 7, vand the gear 6 in turn meshes with another gear 8 which is mounted on a through shaft 9. The shaft 9 extends outside the gear 8 and carries a mitergear 10 which meshes with a similar mitergear 1l mounted upon la longitudinally eX- tending shaft 12 j ournaled Y-in suitable brackets 13 upon the side ofthe machine frame. Shaft 1.2 rotates continuously and carries a mutilated. ruiter-gear 14 which intermeshes With a coperating bevel-,gear 15 mounted upon a through-shaft 1.6 carrying a pair of belt-sprockets 17. The belt-sprockets 17 are located just inside of the respective side frames of the machine, asbest seen in Fig. 3, and upon idle shafts 18 and'19 located in the lower central portion of this section of the machine and at the upper front end of the latter, respectively, are mounted pairs of idle sprockets 20 and 21 which together Wit-h the drive sprocket 17 carry a pair of endless The'up er laps of 'these belts are horizontal, and te belts are provided at regular intervals apart with transversely opposite prongs 23, spaced a suitable distance apart, to receive andpropel vbottle crates 24 o `any suitable construction. In the par ticular instance shown, the crates comprise transverseframe bars 25 and 26, the ends of the latter being arrangedfto project laterally outside the sprocket belts and ride over angle iron Ways 27 mounted .upon the upper portions of the said frames, .as seen clearl in ig. 3, vthus supporting the crates in' t eir travel across "the machine.

In order to support the bottlesininverted position, the transverse bar plates 2 5'and 26 are eachl rovided withl suitable circular serted from the top. 'Ihe apertures inthe aperturesyt rough which the bottles are in-r .bar member 26 are of less diameter than those in the upper bar member to prevent the bottles slipping through as shown clearly in Fig. 4.

The mutilated gear 14 and co erating gear 15 are so constructed as to siift the conveyer chain forwardlyl a distance equal to the distance between successive transverse rows of bottles-at each actuation, and the crates are so constructed that when placed end to end ,and conveyed along by the conveyer chains, the distance between the successive rows of bottles will be sub` stantially equal.

The crates are. placed upon the receiving end of the machine with the bottles in inverted osition,` and the first treatment, to which t ey are subjected is a scrubbing of their interiors by means ofrotating spindle brushes. To this end a horizontal transversely extending frame plate 23 is mounted in the front part of the machine (see Fig. l) and suspended from this plate are journaled a series 'of intermeshing spur-gears 2n arranged in transverse rows at intervals apart corresponding to the axes of the corresponding sets of bottles arranged in thc crates 24. Each gear 2.() has a hollow shalt 29 through which is arranged to reciprocate the non-revoluble spindle 3() of a. corresponding scrubbing brush 31, and the train of gears is conveniently driven through a pair of miter-gears 32 and 33; the former of which is mounted upon a'short shaft 34 journaled to extend through the side frame of the machine and carrying at its outer end a belt pulley 35 which is actuated by al belt 36.

The set of internal brushes (there are two transverse rows shown in the present instance) are raised and lowered bodily at suitable time intervals to permit the bottles to be steplped forward row after row and to successive y enter and scrub the interiors of each row. To accomplish the up and down movements of the brushes, the lower ends ol' the spindles 3() thereof are fixed in a vertical reciprocatory crosshead 37, which is mounted to move on suitable guides 38 and is actuated by mechanism now to be described. Upon the shaft 7 is keyed a crankearm 39 provided with Wrist 4() (see Fig. 3) which enters and engages a slot 41 formed to extend longitudina ly inthe head 37 at the side thereof. This crank-arm alternately raises and depresses the crosshead so as to cause the rushes to successively enter the bottles and scrub the interiors thereof; it being understood that the brushes are of a well understood construction which expand as they enter the bottles. The front end of the crosshead, -with which the bursh spindles 30 are connected, is hollow, as are also the spindles, and water is supplied to the crosshead through a suitable hose connection and injected into the bottles through the spindles which scrub their bottoms exterior-tv.

in a usual Way. The water escapes from the bottles outside ofthe s indles, as indicated in the sectional part of tiie drawing Fig. 4.

In order that the bottles may not be raised out of their positions within the crate by the upward thrust of the brush spindles as the brushes enter the bottles, brackets 41 are mounted at each side of the main frame and carry at their upper ends an overhanging confining plate 42 against which the bottoms Of the bottles impinge when lifted by the brushes.

After passing the. two series of internal scrubbing brushes, the bottles :rre next subjected to the action of a series nl brushes '.lhif-4 set of brushes, designated 42, is mounted and journaled in a supporting head 43: tbc latter being carried by a pair ol' upstanding brackets 44 rising from the. res}u\ctive sides of the main frame. The brushes 42 arr` mounted in a plane substantially coincident with the upper ends ol" the bottles as they pass from beneath the confining plate 42, so that when they pass into register with the brushes they are scrubbed without l'urtbcr adjustment. later is supplied to the brushes 42 by means of a series of supply pipes 45 connected with a main supply pipe 45 and said brushes are rotated by mechanism which will be described in connection with the description ol' the next succiwding scrubbing operation.

inasmuch as it is obviously impossible to scrub the sides ol" the bottles while they are in position within the crates, an important feature ol the. present invention resides in providing mechanism whereby the bottles are bodily lifted out of their crates temporarily, and while held in an uplil'ted position thoroughly scrubbed throughout the lengths ol' their sides, and then returned to their propel' seats in the crate. Describing this mcchanism` 46 designates a series ol" spindles connectedvwith and rising from the head 37 near the rear end ol'v the. latter; these spindles being arranged in a transverse row to correspond to the transverse rows oll bottles, and being ol' such length that when in their lowermost position their upper ends will be just below the lower endsor necks of the bottles in the horizontal travel of the latter, and when the crosshead is raised to its upper limit of movement will engage and lil't the bottles'bodily upward entirely free of the crate, as shown clearly in Fig. l. ln order that the upper ends of the spindles may thus engage and properly lil't the bottles, they carry at their upper ends caps 47 adapted to receive the necks ol' the bottles and hold the latter against lateral disphuement.

Above the series of spindles 46, and in axial alinement with the several spindles, is arranged a series of spring pressed holders 48, each comprising a spindle having splined through which it extends axially, an invertedv cu 50 mounted upon its lower end; and a co1 ed contractile spring 51 connected at one end\ with the'u per end ofv the spindle and at its other en with the top of the corresponding gear and tending to hold the spindle in its depressed position. `Thecups 50 are suitablyv shaped `toreceive the butt ends or bottoms of the bottles, and hold the latter against lateral displacement under the action o the brushes. A' brush 52is provided for each bottle position; these brushes being mounted-on spindles 53 j ournaled in the suplvporting head 43 and intergeared with the gears 49 by means of gears54.v The gears 49 and 54, as Well also as similar gears 55 mounted upon the upper endsfof the severalbrush spindles 42, are all interconnected and driven as a single train. To ythis end one of `the gears 49 is arranged to mesh with-fanidler gear 56 (see Fig.'3) suitably mounted upon a lateral extension of the head 43, and said' gear 56 in turnl meshes with a drive gear 57` mounted upon the upper end of a shaft`58` journaled in the extension of the head, as seen c learly in said ligure.

The lower end of the shaft 58 is mounted in a suitable bearing 59 on the main frame and carries a bevel gear 60 which intermeshes witha corresponding bevelgear 61' mounted upon .the shaft 12. It follows that the several spindles 42a, 48 and 53 will be constantly rotated lduring the operation of the machine. i

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the cups 50 will have frictional eng-agement with vthe bottom of the bottles by reason of the spindles 48 being forced downwardly through the a'ction of their respective springs 51. nd inasmuch as the spindles 48 are constantly rotated during the operation olf` the machine the cups 50 will positively rotate the bottles when the' latter are iforced upwardly by the spindles 46. Water is supplied to the bottles while they are subjected to the action of the brushes 52 by means of branch )ipes 45 connected with some source of supply, as the ipe 45. l

After the bott es have been scrubbed in their uplifted position, and returned to their seats in the crate, they are conveyed along the main frame to a position atvwhich they are bodily reversed and ltransferred to the' second section of the machlne; ltibemg unbevel-gear meshes wit-h a corresponding bevell gear 61 mounted u on the main longitudif nal shaft 12. Rigi with shaft 59', and the gear thereon 60, is a s ur-gear 62 which is mutilated, being rovi ed with teeth upon one portion 4only o its periphery; the number of these' teeth corresponding to the number' 'of teeth in a pinipn 63 mounted upon asuitable stub-shaft and arranged to intermesh therewith, as seen clearly in Figs. 2 and 4. It follows from this arrangement that upon each revolution of the gear 62 the gear 63 will also be turned a single revolution. The shaft 64 which. carries erear 63 is provided with a crank-arm 65 W iich is connected with a sliding rack 66 by means of a link 67 The rack 66 is-longitudinally slotted and slides horizontally upon the shaft 64,v its other end being supported and guided in' a' suitable bearing 68. With the rack is arranged to mesh a spur-gear 69 mounted upon ashaft 7() extending transversely above the bed of .the machine, and upon this shaftis rigidly mounted a crate -carrier or basket 71. During. the most of the time ofV the tnieration of the vmachine this basket rests in upright horiperformed without interruption.

1nv order that the basketv may automatic- `ally engage 'the side bars of the crate and carry the latter with it during its return movement, spring catches 7L are mounted upon each side frame member of the basket, as seen clearly in Figs. 2 and 4, thc catches being 'so shaped that as thc basket passes downwardly in invcrtcd position over the crate the inclinedportions 71 oftlu` catches are sprung back and thereafter snap into cngagement with thc side bars.

"he second section ofV the machine is provided With a pair of endless conveyer belts 72 substantially similar to those hereinbefore' describod'; the receiving ends of said 'belts' beilnr trained around idle nillcvs not :s t l shown) loosely mounted on the shaftI 59 (see Fig. 4), while the opposite ends of the belts are trained around and driven by sprockets 74 mounted, on a cross 'shaft 75 which carries 'a bevel-gear 76 intermittently operated by a mutilated bcvcl -gear' 77 mountedV on the end' of shaft 12.

The basket 7l is of skeleton form and so constructed that when in its horizontal normal position the prongs of thc belts72 may engagethe crate and slide it cndwisc out oll the basket. lThe bottles are now washed and in to be filled amlfcorkcd.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a bottle handling apparatus, the combination with a suitable main frame, of a conveyer mechanism for moving crates of bottles along-saidframe, step by step, means position teriors of the bottles during an early part of their progress through the machine andl While in an inverted position, and automatic mechanism for reversing the crates at the end of their travel. l

2. In a bottle handling apparatus, the combination with a suitable supporting frame, of a conveyer mechanism, means for actuating the conveyer mechanism, one or more bottle .holders moving with the conveyer, take-o" mechanism operating to automatically Withdraw the bottles from the holder or holders and to restore them to their original seats therein, and scrubbing mechanism arranged to wash the sides of the bottles while supported by the take-oil mechanism. f

3. In a bottle handling apparatus, the combination with a suitable main frame, of a conveyer mechanism, bottle holding Vcrates actuated by said conveyer mechanism and wherein the bottles are arranged in rows extending transversely to the direction of movement of the conveyer, means for actuating the conveyer mechanism step'by step distances corresponding to the distance between rows of bottles, take-oil.l mechanism operating to automatically withdraw a row of bottles from a crate while the latter is in register with said take-off mechanism and to restore them to their original seats therein` and scrubbing mechanismassociated with said take-ori' mechanism and operating upon the eXteriors of the bottles while supported in the take-oit mechanism.

4. ln a bottle handling apparatus, the combination with a suitable main frame, of a conveyer mechanism, crates actuated b v said conveyer mechanism and in the initial part of their travel arranged with the bottles inverted, means for actuating said conveyer step by step, automatically advancing and retracting brushes arranged topass into each group of bottles, scrub the latter and withdraw as they are brought into register by the conveyer, vautomatically advancing and re tracti'ng take-off mechanism operating to shift the bottles bodily out of the crate and return them to position therein, and scrubhing mechanism associated with the take-off mechanism and operating to wash the eX- teriors of the bottles while supported by the take-off mechanism.

5. In a bottle handling apparatus, the combination with a suitable4 supporting fr ame and a conveyer traveling thereon, of a series of crates carried by said conveyer, mechanism for subjecting the bottles to treatment during their travel with the conveyer, a reciprocatory reversing basket mounted in proximity to the conveyer and adapted to remove the crates bodily from the conveyer and reverse them and suitably timed automatic means operatingto actuate said reversing mechanism.

6. In a bottle handling a paratus, the combination with a suitable supporting frame and a conveyer traveling thereon, of a series of crates carried by said conveyer, automatically extending and retracting Washing spindles operating to cleanse the interiors ofl the bottles during an early part of their travel with the conveyer, automatically advancing and retracting take-ofi mechanism operating to shift the bottles bodily out of the crate and return them to position therein, scrubbing mechanism associated with said take-oil` mechanism and ada ted to operate upon the exteriors of the ottles while supported by the take-ott mechanism, and suitably timed automatic reversing mechanism mounted in proximity to the conveyer and operating to remove the crates "bodily from the latter, and reverse them.

7. In a bottl'e handling apparatus, the combination with a suitable mam frame, of a conveyer mechanism, bottle holders moving with said conveyer mechanism, means for actuating the conveyer mechanism step by step, and take-off mechanism operating to withdraw the bottles from the crates'and restore them to the latter comprising a shiftable frame, a series of bottle-engaging projections carried by said frame, a4 yieldably supported clamping mechanism cooperating withthe bottle engaging projections to hold the several bottles between the respective projections and clamping mechanism, scrubbing devices arranged to act upon the eX- teriors of the bottles while held in the take-oil' mechanism, and means for effecting the actuation of the several parts of said take-oil' mechanism in properly timed relation to the movements of the conveyer.

8. ln a bottle handling apparatus, the combination with a suitable mam frame, of a conveyer mechanism, bottle holders moving with said conveyer mechanism, means for actuating the conveyer mechanism step by step, and take-oil mechanism operating to withdraw the bottles from the crates and restore them to the latter comprising a shiftable frame, a series of bottle-engaging projections carried by said frame, a series of yieldably projected clamping cups arranged in alinement with the respective bottle-engaging projections of the shiftable frame, a series of brushes rotatably mounted alongside of the bottle holding devices of the takeotl' mechanism, means for su )plying liquid to said mechanism, and means lor actuating the several parts of the take-oil` mechanism in properly timed relation to the movements of the conveyer.

9. ln a bottle handling a paratus, the combination with a suitable supporting frame, of a conveyer mechanism, means for actuating the conveyer. mechanism, one or i associated scrubbing mechanism for scrubinore bottle-holders movingwit'h saidwoni bingthe extcriors of the bottlebl whileIk en- 1,0 veyer, take-ofi' mechanism operating' to cngaged hy thc miic-oil' mechanism.

gage. the bottles, shift `them out of hearing' i IWW, I (.,HH ,VOY

them to their seats, means for rotating' the j \\'itncsscs: bnttles about their individiml axes whilc FREDERICK 'ounwixjy supported by thvl take-0H' nwclianisnl and FRANh L. HMLKNM. 

